E.51 displayed on Xantrex pro SW 2000

[Liana]

New experience for me, couldn't find anything in a search.

Batteries (Trojan AGMs) read full, inverter on, tried to use my toaster and the inverter started beeping and cycling the Display on the microwave on and off. Microwave was not in use (It only serves as storage for me!)

Undid the bed And find the inverter (still on) with E.51 displayed.  Tried resetting the inverter, unplugging the microwave , no Joy. 

The manual doesn't have E.51 nor can I find anything On a Google search.

Anyone?

[topgun2]

OK - I don't have manuals here nor is my Oliver here but having said that the first thing I'd do would be to unplug from shore power and turn off and unplug my inverter and turn off my solar panels.  Then I'd check to make sure the wires into and out of the inverter were not loose.  Finally, I'd plug the inverter back in and turn it on - if the batteries were full the inverter should come on at this point.  If all is well then I'd turn the solar panels back on followed by the shore power.

Hopefully this gets you back up.

Bill

[Liana]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

unplug from shore power

Thank you so much. I wasn't plugged into Shore power, running off batteries.  But you gave me some ideas. Checked breakers, fuses, then I Remembered so many mentions about the GFCI being tripped.  So I Reset the inverter again and checked the GFCI, sure enough it was Tripped.  Reset that and I Seem to be back in business. Wish I Knew what tripped it tho

PS, the E.51 was actually me seeing the Number in my camera backwards - the reading was 12.3!  I amuse myself so! 😂

[topgun2]

Have you tried your toaster again?  Possibly that was what tripped the GFI.

I assume that the reading on your batteries has not changed?

I thought that those error codes only went from 0 to 10.  If that is true then even the 12.3 doesn't make sense unless that is your battery voltage?

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not certain that you found the issue that caused the problem even though it is good that you are back up and running..

Bill

[Liana]

22 hours ago, topgun2 said:

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not certain that you found the issue that caused the problem

I honestly Have no idea what tripped it Either and we've had some other unexplained electrical issue in The past. Had Oliver service look at it last year when it was in for service and they didn't find anything wrong.  Like you said,  at least I was able To recover. 🤷‍♀️

[Liana]

Update.

This evening I Had the inverter on, batteries read full, and the following Plugged In:  my computer to an AC outlet for a zoom meeting,  my phone into the USB port ,  a USB device plugged into an AC outlet (no shore power). 

Partway through My meeting I was receiving texts on my phone (plugged into 12v USB) that was serving as my hotspot and emails and the inverter started beeping when A message would come in. Nothing tripped,  batteries Still showed full charge, no other indication Than beeps. I bailed out of zoom, shut down computer and no further incidents of beeping.  Possible That computer plus phone plus USB device is taxing the inverter ?  Furnace wasn't on, microwave was on but not running, pump was on but not running,  truma on eco mode but not running,  nothing else drawing power. Boggles.   Seems a call to xantrex is in order tomorrow

[SeaDawg]

As i remember,  you bought a pre-owned trailer.

Your batteries may be suspect.

Not sure. 

 

 

 

[Liana]

I appreciate this thought and wonder If they would get back to full charge if they're bad?  It takes til early afternoon with 350 w of solar, an hour with the generator.

[John E Davies]

Add you hull number to your signature so we know what you have.

AGM batteries cannot be evaluated for their “health” other than through a load test. The resting voltage is not an indicator, plus with four, one can be bad and it will draw down the others when you apply a load. It is very typical for them to tank when using inverter power, especially the microwave (AKA the Battery Killer). Before pulling your hair out chasing phantom problems, make sure the AGMs are indeed fine. If yours are over three years old, the odds are high that at least one has gone tango uniform.

There are cheap handheld battery load testers available but I am not convinced of their accuracy, nor am I aware of one that does 6 volt batteries. You could take your batteries, or the trailer, to a battery store like Batteries Plus Bulbs and they will test them for you at no charge. They need to be charged and the cables disconnected so they can be checked individually. Be prepared for bad news😬

FYI with the batteries disconnected your break away system won’t work, so drive carefully.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Liana]

6 hours ago, John E Davies said:

If yours are over three years old, the odds are high that at least one has gone tango uniform.

I appreciate the graceful response.  Some people have a math block, I seem to have an electricity block.  I have zero confidence that I would know how to remove the batteries safely, OR replace them, despite so much good information that you all have shared in different threads on the subject.  for example, when @topgun2 said, "turn off and unplug my inverter and turn off my solar panels" I looked under the bed at the inverter and couldn't see where one would unplug it.  The transfer switch is plugged into the inverter, but I don't see any particular way to unplug it.  I did check the wires to it, they seemed quite secure.  I also couldn't figure out how to shut off the solar panels.  That info must be on the zamp website somewhere, it's not intuitively obvious.

I can certainly just go ahead with the BB upgrade (I was waiting til they went on sale, which is now), and the local shop was going to charge me way too much money to do this.  I don't know any reason *I* should not be able to figure it out!

Again, I'm grateful for the grace all of you have shown

[ScottyGS]

7 hours ago, John E Davies said:

FYI with the batteries disconnected your break away system won’t work, so drive carefully.

I did not know that.   Thanks for the info. 

Scotty

[Liana]

On 4/26/2022 at 1:10 PM, Liana said:

go ahead with the BB upgrade

Update.  I did get 3 100 AH BBs and had them installed.  I've just returned from the auto parts store where I had the AGMs load tested and one of four tested "bad" and the second of four tested "nearing end of life", the other two were still good.  I'll keep the two good ones and use them in another application I have in mind.

I watched the entire installation and I have to say, thank you to all who tried to help me understand how to do the swap myself.  However, from what I saw, I would NOT have had the hand strength to manipulate those cables ( @Terry McCaffertyI was able to re use the existing cables and my tie-down now looks kind of like yours only black ) AND hold them onto the bolt while tightening the nuts.  I most DEFINITELY would not have been able to lift the AGMS out of that tray.

The entire process of discovery and completion has been very educational.  Having read the Solacity piece among volumes of other material, I now feel that I need to re learn how to read the Solar Controller panel and use the information there differently.  I *think* I understand that I need to know much more about the batteries' state of charge but I don't really know how to monitor/track that.  More research!

Thanks again to all of you

[SeaDawg]

@Liana, did you reprogram/ change settings on your solar controller for lithium?

Congratulations on the upgrade.

[Liana]

13 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

did you reprogram/ change settings

yes, also on the converter